


lost in the jungle

by totallyrottentomatoes



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Angsty Killua, Enemies to Friends, Friendship, Gen, Gon being Gon, Not Canon Compliant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-16
Updated: 2021-02-16
Packaged: 2021-03-18 20:53:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,298
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29496111
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/totallyrottentomatoes/pseuds/totallyrottentomatoes
Summary: Gon and Killua meet under very different circumstances; circumstances that mean they're on opposing sides. Or rather, they would be, if Gon could get a clue about how being enemies worked.
Relationships: Gon Freecs & Killua Zoldyck
Comments: 2
Kudos: 16





	lost in the jungle

Tree branches and large, green leaves slapped Killua in the face as he ran. The rain had died down some, leaving a least some visibility, but he still couldn't pick up the pace anymore if he wanted to be able to see enough to avoid the thick underbrush and even thicker foliage around him. He narrowly dodged a swooping vine overhead just in time, stumbled, and then clutched the cannister in his arms even closer to his chest. 

"I hate the jungle," he said to himself grumpily. This was one of the regions Killua had not been to; not with Alluka and not for a mission. He couldn't say he cared to ever come back if the standing water in his socks was anything to go by. 

Killua's senses were dulled by the sound of rain in the forest, so he turned his head over his shoulder briefly to make sure he wasn't being followed. The effort of the movement caused him to wince painfully and reminded him why he was running in the first place. 

He had to put more distance between himself and the chain user. 

He thought he had managed to lose him the first time, after beating him to the tomb that contained the smooth cannister in his hands. He had the wound to show how wrong he had been. Being hired for jobs always came with a risk, so this was nothing new to Killua, but he had been warned by Chrollo himself about the chain user. Anyone who could hold their own against his father and grandfather had a word worth its salt to Killua, so he was overly cautious to avoid the man Chrollo described to him. Somehow, he had still found him. He grimaced at the weather again for putting him in this predicament. 

Whatever was in that dumb cannister better be worth it. Killua only knew that the item inside was to be sold at auction by the Phantom Troupe for their event, but he was starting to have his doubts about it. He had just robbed a grave, after all. Not exactly very community service-like, even for the Troupe. 

Just do the job, Killua, he repeated to himself in his head. Just do the job. 

Footsteps. 

Killus spun around wildly in the direction he heard them, swiveling his head back and forth. Nothing moved aside from the green leaves bouncing under the weight of the rain drops and the branches swaying in the stormy breeze. He waited anyway, tilting his head up until the heavy water droplets were falling straight onto his cheeks. He could tell it was starting to pick up again, and he had to hold a hand up to stop it from getting into his eyes. The trees overhead made it impossible to see anything but leaves and occasionally the overcast sky, but Killua still surveyed the area for someone waiting above. 

He didn't trust that no one was around, he would never be sure of that, but he started running again despite the feeling he was being watched. He had a deadline to meet. He glued his eyes forward and squeezed the item closer to his chest to reassure himself it was still there. If he could just get to the clearing from earlier, he would be able to follow the dirt path back to his and Leorio's camp. If he could just-

"Hey there!" A voice called out. Killua turned his head so fast to the side he nearly gave himself whiplash. Running next to him, separated only by trees and air, was a teenager. 

"My name's Gon!"

Killua jutted out to the side in an attempt to lose the person. From what he could tell, the kid was probably about his own age, 15 or 16. He was built thicker than Killua, but Killua's brain was already running a thousand miles per hour pointing out every way to defeat him in a fight. He was sopping wet too, his green jacket and shorts clung to his body full of rain. His green hair was sloppily pushed back out of his eyes, leaving him looking like a wet puppy. Killua could tell he was dangerous, so he continued to evade. The green haired boy re-appeared at his side a moment later. 

The most obscure thing about him was that even running right next to him, Killua couldn't hear him moving or detect his aura at all. That would explain why it was so hard to sense him earlier, but now that he was in sight Killua could find a way to lose him. 

"What's yours?" The boy asked curiously, once again managing to catch back up to Killua despite his best efforts. 

"I'm not telling you who I am, idiot," Killua spat back. He wasn't even sure what possessed him to answer the boy at all. He wasn't an ally, Killua would know if there was anyone else on this mission. That could only mean he was with the chain user. 

To Killua's horror, the boy, Gon, threw his head back and laughed like Killua had just said something funny. All he could do was stare. 

"Is something wrong with you?" Killua asked shortly. 

"Nope!" Gon smiled widely at him. It was all Killua could do in that moment to stay upright. 

Don't say anything. Don't say anything. "Are you a stalker or something?" 

Gon cocked his head to the side and considered this. Killua continued to make sharp turns as they ran, attempting to throw the boy off long enough to get away. 

"No!" Gon decided after a minute. He threw up a thumb and pointed to his chest. "I'm a thief!" 

God almighty. 

Somewhere to their left a loud boom rang out, followed by a force that stopped Killua is his tracks. "Was that a bomb?" Gon looked like he would barrel straight into him if he stayed still a moment longer, so he turned to run in the opposite direction of the blast. He cursed internally; this direction had thicker vines, meaning he was probably getting farther away from where he needed to be. 

Gon behind him spurred him into the depths anyway, despite his better judgement. 

_Get away from him_ , Killua thought to himself in a panic. 

"I don't think that was Kurapika," he heard Gon say ominously. 

"Kurapika?" Killua questioned without turning around to face Gon. It didn’t much matter to him who was setting the forest on fire as long as he wasn't dying in it. 

"Yeah! We're here to steal that from you," Gon said happily. "The bombs though, that didn't sound like him."

Killua could feel his eyes go wide. Not because the boy was trying to take his find, but because he admitted it. Why Gon would tell that to Killua, he had no idea. This boy must be an Enhancer. 

A twig caught Killua's shirt, ripping the fabric away with an awful tearing sound. He winced as the blood caked shirt that had been pressed against the hole in his stomach was pulled away. He could feel the fresh blood trailing down his side, so he repositioned the cannister in his arm to be able to press his hand against his side. 

He chanced a glance over his shoulder to see if the boy could tell he was injured. It would only be more of an issue for him if the boy decided to fight him for the contents of the cannister. A last resort. But Gon was nowhere in sight. 

"Gon?" Killua called out experimentally. With what little information he had about the idiot, he was fairly sure he wouldn't drop off to hide after showing himself. There was no answer, so Killua slowed his pace and took the spare moment to re-wrap his abdomen. The wound seemed to be infused with some kind of Nen, because it looked to be getting worse. Killua could handle a fair amount of pain, of course, but the elements were already against him in this situation. The rain mixed with his blood as it trailed down to his shorts as he singed the cloth tight enough to keep the bleeding at bay. 

"How did that happen?" 

Killua jumped so hard to the side he tripped over his own feet at the sound of the familiar voice, but he managed to catch himself. He shot back a few extra feet, facing Gon head on. 

"You should ask Kurapika," Killua bit out, keeping his face impassive and his voice only slightly annoyed. He needed to look unbothered and indifferent, not weak. 

Another blast sounded off behind them, and Gon's face rearranged into something like worry. "I can't find him." 

Something about the way he said it sounded almost childish. Killua was surprised to find that he wasn't annoyed by that fact, even though he should have been.

"Not my problem," he said. 

Another blast, closer to them this time. 

Killua raised an eyebrow at Gon's anxious face. "Who did you manage to piss off?" 

"The Ants, of course," Gon replied, looking confused. "And technically, they're after you, since you have that." Gon raised his arm to point at the container. 

" _Huh_?" 

__Gon didn't even bother with an answer; whatever was chasing them seemed to have gotten close enough to send him into overdrive, though Killua could only barely sense something coming their way. Gon set off into a sprint, and before Killua could do the same, Gon had grabbed him by the arm and was dragging him along deeper into the forest._ _

__"I can do it myself, you know!"_ _

__"I can't have you getting captured before I get the chance to steal from you!"_ _

__Killua could hardly even believe the gall of the green haired fool sprinting in front of him. Killua couldn’t help but admire the way Gon moved effortlessly through the forest, steering Killua through all the openings in the thick plant growth with ease._ _

__"How old are you?" He said. Killua was starting to think something really was wrong with Gon. "You look my age. I'm 15!"_ _

__Killua couldn't tell what made him want to answer the question. He knew he shouldn't; he knew it was safer to hold all his information as close to his chest as possible and never let anyone else have it. Because that was the best way to keep anyone from knowing too much or having anything to use against him. He knew all of this, and yet he said, "me too."_ _

__Gon turned around to smile at him again, and he didn't drop his hold on Killua's wrist until Killua yanked it away, a slight flush forming on his cold cheeks._ _

__Killua tried to run away in any other direction than Gon. The first issue with this was that there were only a few passable areas as deep into the forest as they had gone. Even when Killua managed to lose sight of Gon for a few seconds, he would eventually veer back in a direction and see Gon there too. On top of that, the rain had gotten worse again, the thunder booming overhead reminding Killua that the storm was not planning to pass over any time soon. And, as far as Killua could tell, they were hopelessly lost._ _

__It had been a while since they heard anyone pursuing them, but Killua kept a wary eye on Gon. It didn't much matter if other people were chasing them since someone had already found him. He was also starting to get a feeling like Gon was going somewhere. By all accounts from Killua's perspective, there was nowhere else to even go besides farther away from his only way out of this god-forsaken place._ _

__He debated what to do about this. If Gon were leading him right to Kurapika, it would be a very elaborate scheme that he wasn't sure Gon was even capable of. But then again, Gon could just be putting on a weird act to gain his trust for just that reason. Something made Killlua doubt that, even with it being the more viable option._ _

__"Hey," Killua called out. Gon spun around to look at him._ _

__"You should call me my name," Gon told him excitedly._ _

__"What?"_ _

__"My name! You should say it when you're trying to get my attention."_ _

__"We're the only two out here, what does that matter!"_ _

__"I just want you to," Gon informed him, his voice earnest._ _

__Killua shifted uncomfortably. "Gon," he said hesitantly. Gon stood up straighter and beckoned for him to continue with a wide dopey grin. "Where are you going?"_ _

__Gon looked back towards the direction they'd been moving, then back again at Killua. They were only standing a couple yards apart, and yet Killua's view was still too obstructed to be able to see the expression on Gon's face clearly._ _

__"I just feel like this is the right way," he stated. "Like it wants us to go this way!"_ _

__"First of all, there is no 'us' about this," Killua clarified matter-of-factly. "And what do you mean by 'it'?"_ _

__Killua watched as Gon huffed at his objection, sticking his lower lip out in a pout. “The forest,” Gon replied simply._ _

__Killua pinched the bridge of his nose. Of course he would get stuck in the middle of nowhere with a crazy person who talked to trees. Why wouldn’t he? “Is that a Nen ability or something?”_ _

__“Nope! Can't you feel it?”_ _

__Killua sighed loudly and continued on, ignoring the boy. At this point he had no other ideas of how to get out of the underbrush; all he hoped was that he would be able to find somewhere he could get his bearings to turn around eventually._ _

__Privately, Killua started to worry. The auction the Spiders were hosting was set to start only three days out, so if he wanted to get paid he didn't have time to be wandering around aimlessly. Not to mention Leorio and his ride wouldn't wait around forever. There was nothing to be done about it now, but his mind still calculated how long they would wait before assuming he was dead, and the mission was a failure. He reasoned that he probably still had time._ _

__"I think we're close!" Gon's voice was just barely audible from the rain because Killua had been putting some more distance between them absentmindedly. There was no way to know when the other boy would try to take the treasure and run. Killua decided then and there that if the green haired idiot did manage to take it, he would have to kill him to get it back. Not ideal, but he was in no position to be on a wild goose chase after someone who was all but a part of the wild jungle himself. He set his shoulders with his resolve and cautiously followed behind where the other boy disappeared to._ _

__The trees grew together even thicker in this area, and they were almost so close together in the area that Gon disappeared that Killua started to think it was a trap after all._ _

__"Wow!" He heard Gon's voice and a slight echo from up ahead._ _

__Killua reached his hand out tentatively to the area that Gon had slipped through. Even though the space seemed dark and impassable, the willow-like branches parted around his hand easily enough. Killua stepped over the overgrown roots and moved the thin plants to either side to let himself through._ _

__Killua blinked at the sight before him. It took his eyes a moment to adjust; he had been expecting more darkness, but inside the canopy was lit up like a lamp. Small firefly like bugs floated idly around the space, weaving between branches and leaves. Gon stood with his back to Killua and his hand placed against the tree. The trunk of the tree was extremely wide, but it curved and spilt and snaked around itself in a way that made it seem even larger. The branches shot off from the trunk and stuck out overhead, and from there the leaf-covered vines grow down and around them so close together that they blocked out the rain entirely. Killua could hear the roar of the storm outside, but for the first time in hours there was no persistent tap, tap, tap on his skin. He could have cried with relief._ _

__Gon turned back to him and beamed. “See? Isn’t this cool?”_ _

__“It’s alright,” Killua managed. Even to him his voice sounded breathy. If he were being honest, he was amazed. Killua knew it was probably just because he had been subject to a great deal of inconvenience in the past twenty-four hours, but something about being out of the hell-scape gave him an astounding amount of comfort. He sank down to a sitting position and looked at his wound to reassess. His make-shift bandage was soaked, of course, with both rain and his own blood._ _

__“Want me to help with that?” Gon offered, appearing next to him._ _

__Killua clutched the shiny cannister closer to his chest and stuck a hand out threateningly. “As if that would work,” he said, narrowing his eyes._ _

__Gon scratched his head through his mop of hair. “I said I would help so I will! I won’t take that yet.” He said forcefully._ _

___Like a child_ , Killua thought skeptically as he observed Gon looking at him with an intensity that made him uneasy. Gon dropped to his knee and pulled his small green bag around to the front of his body. He unzipped it and rummaged around until he found what he was looking for, pulling a clear box out of the bag. _ _

__“See!” He said defensively, sticking the box out in front of him. Killua could see the contents were something that looked similar to bandages, but it was hard to tell much more than that with Gon shaking it frantically._ _

__Killua eyed him, mind turning with his current options. On one hand, it would be easier for Gon to bandage him than for him to do it himself. On the other, Gon would be close enough to pull something that could result in him losing the cannister._ _

__He sharpened his fingers into claws, holding them out for the other boy to see. “If you try to take the cannister away from me, I’ll kill you.”_ _

__“I know!” Gon said, unphased by the threat. He smiled and inched closer to Killua, taking his statement as an invitation._ _

__“I’m serious,” Killua sputtered, unnerved by Gon’s reaction to him._ _

__“I told you I wasn’t going to take it, so you don’t need to worry!”_ _

__Gon settled in front of Killua, kneeling down to his level on the ground. He poked his head closer to Killua, inspecting the wound. Killua resisted his urge to flinch away. He ground his teeth together and tensed his muscles instead, ready to attack Gon if he needed to._ _

__“Yeah, I can stitch it up,” Gon told him, looking up. Killua hadn’t been this close to Gon yet, but now he realized his hair actually faded to a darker color near his head. His eyes were hazel, almost golden, and the reflection of the soft lights in them made them look like they were glowing. It took Killua only a few seconds to catalog these details, but it took him a few more to realize that he his hand had reverted to normal. Gon only stared back at Killua, making no move to take the cannister. He seemed to Have forgotten all about it._ _

__“You’re pretty,” Gon breathed in awe._ _

__That snapped Killua out of it. His hand sharpened back immediately, and his hair stood on end as some of his aura turned to electricity in his surprise._ _

__“I’m _what?_ ” He demanded in anger. He could feel his cheeks starting to warm up, and he caught himself reaching his hand up to touch it. He had only ever blushed at Alluka’s or Something’s unexpected compliments before. He shot a glare at Gon. “That’s not funny!”_ _

__Gon knitted his eyebrows together into a frown. “I wasn’t being funny,” he said. He pointed at his own eyes. “I’ve never seen anyone with eyes like yours. And your skin is so smooth, it’s such a nice color. I noticed before, in the forest. It was almost like you were glowing, even in the dark. It’s even more amazing this close!”_ _

__The blush on Killua’s face only grew multiple shades darker, but Gon had turned his head down to look at his materials before he could see. Killua let out a relieved breath and calmed his heart rate._ _

__“You’re weird,” Killua informed him. Gon smiled widely and repositioned himself at Killua’s side with the bandages, gauze, and something that looked like ointment._ _

__“What is that?” Killua asked accusingly, pointing at the container._ _

__Gon held it up to catch the light. “This? It’s a blend of plants my aunt makes me from stuff that grows on Whale Island.”_ _

__“Whale Island?” Killua tried to remember if he’d ever heard of it._ _

__“That’s where I grew up! My aunt still lives there, and when I go back she always cooks for me and sends me with more of this stuff. She makes my clothes, too!”_ _

__Killua looked down at Gon’s bright green pants and raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure she didn’t poison that stuff? She clearly hates you.”_ _

__Gon laughed at that, closing his eyes and throwing his head back. “She doesn’t!” He reached forward to peel off Killua’s make-shift bandage and set it down to the side. He pulled out a towel to dry off the access blood, dripping some water from a canteen onto it to clear away some of the debris._ _

__Killua watched Gon as he worked. His face pulled together in concentration as he continued cleaning the wound, moving carefully so as not to disrupt the inflamed skin._ _

__“You shouldn’t be helping me, you know,” Killua said quietly. He wasn’t sure why he said it at all, since he clearly wasn’t going to change Gon’s mind. Gon’s hands stilled for a moment. “Your friend the chain user gave me that wound. We aren’t on the same side.”_ _

__Gon started again after a beat, moving now to press fresh gauze against Killua’s wound._ _

__“We’re stuck here together,” Gon said slowly, like he hadn’t really considered it and was thinking on the fly. “So that means we are on the same side!”_ _

__“That’s not how sides work, idiot,” Killua grumbled._ _

__Gon just shrugged and went about his work. “I don’t know,” he said happily. “I just wanted to help you.” Gon wrapped the gauze around Killua’s midsection, nearly hugging him in the process. Killua looked pointedly away in an effort not to be too close to Gon’s face again. He didn’t trust himself not to let his guard down again, especially with the fool talking about wanting to help him. He couldn’t remember the last time someone touched him or helped him without a purpose, without wanting something._ _

__“That should be better,” Gon said proudly, leaning back to inspect the bandage. After he was satisfied with his work, he turned his head up. “We should probably stay here tonight.”_ _

__“No way,” Killua protested immediately._ _

__Thunder roared loudly outside as if to prove Gon’s point. Killua had no idea what time of day it was, he could guess it was the evening at the earliest from how dark it had been outside. He knew logically that travelling in the dark would be nearly impossible, especially since he had no idea where they were or how to get back to the path he had come in by._ _

__Gon ignored him and started to set out what looked like dried fruit from his bag. Killua cocked his eyebrow at the way Gon separated the food into two piles._ _

__“If we’re staying here, we’ll need to eat dinner!”_ _

__“Did you even hear me?”_ _

__Gon looked up at him from his task. “We should stay here tonight.” He said again, like Killua had misunderstood him. Killua scowled but didn’t protest again. He could tell it wasn’t worth the effort, for one, but he also admitted to himself he had nowhere else to go._ _

__“We should set some boundaries then.” Killua got to his feet and used the edge of his shoe to split the area in half, first to the base of the tree trunk and then on the other side. Killua shook the container at Gon. “If you cross the line and try to take this, I’ll-”_ _

__“You’ll kill me, I get it,” Gon whined. Killua didn’t know if Gon just didn’t believe that he would actually kill him or if he just had no regard for his own life. Either way, he guessed, so he nodded curtly._ _

__Gon hummed. “What if it’s an accident?” He said innocently, looking at Killua out of the corner of his eye. “Or what if I step over there and then step on my side? Then do I have to kill you if you come over here?” Gon put his hand on his chin to demonstrate that he was thinking._ _

__Killua just glared at him. “Don’t do that.”_ _

__“I bet you that you can’t stop me from getting on your side anyway.”_ _

__“ _Huh?_ ” Killua yelled. He could tell Gon was baiting him, but for some reason it was working, childish anger flaring in his chest. “I so could!”_ _

__“Could not!”_ _

__Killua set the container away from the center line and stepped back slightly. “Go ahead and try,” he said it as a threat, but Gon just smiled. Gon took off without a warning. Killua had expected that, so he caught up to Gon easily and kicked away the foot that threatened to make its way across his line. In an instant, Gon was gone again, sprinting to the other side of tree trunk and attempting again to cross the line. Again Killua blocked the attack, this time managing to trip Gon so he fell backwards. Killua snorted at the stunned look on Gon’s face, but that didn’t stop him. Gon was back on his feet and trying again within seconds._ _

__They went on like that for at least a couple hours. Killua didn’t use Godspeed to keep up with him, mainly because he didn’t need to, but also to keep his power a secret in case he needed it later. From what he could tell, Gon didn’t use his Nen ability either. Even though Gon’s attacks never landed him on Killua’s side of the line, Killua was impressed by his fighting style. On more than one occasion he was only narrowly able to block the attacks, and he rarely tried his own._ _

__If Killua had known much about fun, he would have known he was having it then. He started to anticipate the face Gon would make when he thought he would finally get across and didn’t, pouting and yet somehow looking more determined. Killua wasn’t proud of it, but he started to show off, just some, because he picked up on how excited Gon would look._ _

__“Wow!” Gon would breathe, and Killua didn’t know anything about games, but he knew that felt like winning._ _

__He didn’t even register that it started feeling less and less like he was protecting the cannister and more and more like he was partaking in this ridiculous display because he _wanted_ to. Even when a smile threatened to creep it’s way onto his face, he didn’t notice, because he was already in motion to meet Gon in blows again. _ _

__Killua reached his arm out to shove Gon to the side after his latest attack, and then he disappeared. Panic flooded Killua’s senses for a brief moment, but that was enough for Gon to jump out of the tree and back into Killua’s view. His heartbeat slowed as he realized Gon was about to land successfully on his side. He had used his superior Zetsu to hide his aura and had jumped up into the tree to obscure Killua’s view long enough to launch himself onto Killua’s side of the area._ _

__Killua didn’t have a chance to think before he was activating Godspeed and then, before he could fully realize what happened, Gon was flying back to the other side of the canopy midair. Killua blinked in surprise as Gon landed roughly with a thud into the dirt._ _

__“That was so cool!” He gushed, hopping up from Killua’s attack like he hadn’t just been hit with the speed of light. “Was that your Hatsu?”_ _

__Killua huffed. “Like I would tell you.”_ _

__“I knew you weren’t using your full power!” He accused loudly._ _

__“Neither were you,” Killua pointed out._ _

__Gon smiled sheepishly and leapt into the tree again. After a second, he popped out of the leaves and hung himself over Killua’s side of the canopy from a branch._ _

__“That was fun!” He said excitedly, not a trace of fatigue, like they hadn’t just been sparring._ _

__“You’re on my side,” Killua stated, gesturing to the line._ _

__“The air doesn’t count! And the tree didn’t pick your silly sides,” Gon told him, swinging himself back and forth from the branch. “Plus, my side is boring.”_ _

__“How would you even _know_ if you spend all your time trying to get on my side?” Killua yelled at him. _ _

__Gon looked over at his empty side of the canopy. “Oh! Our food,” Gon cried, looking at the dejected piles he had laid out so carefully. He hurriedly jumped down and went back over to them, resituating then on the small pieces of cloth that had been strewn to and fro, forgotten._ _

__“Come on, we should eat.” Gon said this like it was perfectly natural the two of them would eat together, sharing their meals next to each other on the floor. Killua eyed the boundary again. He hadn’t forgotten it’s purpose. Gon had even said he would kill him if he stepped onto his side earlier._ _

__“This is for you, this is for you,” Gon sing-songed playfully. He positioned himself in front of his make-shift plate and patted the area next to him, looking expectantly at Killua._ _

__“Maybe I don’t want your lousy food,” Killua said rudely. His stomach was already churning at the thought of eating; he might have gone out into the woods to find his own dinner if Gon hadn’t offered._ _

__“It’s great though! My aunt-”_ _

__“My aunt made it on Whale Island,” Killua mocked, his tone sounding more like a joke and less like an insult than he expected._ _

__Gon puffed out his cheeks in an attempt to hold in a laugh. “Hey!” He sputtered out, “that is not what I sound like!”_ _

__Killua rolled his eyes. It hadn’t been his intention to start idle banter, and he cursed himself for being pleased that Gon found him funny. Gon continued to giggle, the sound blending in slightly with the rain hitting the leaves. Killua might have been annoyed at Gon’s ever preset laughter only hours ago, but he truthfully didn’t mind anymore._ _

__“Come on so we can eat,” Gon prompted, his voice only sounding a little like a whine._ _

__“You’re such an indefatigable child.” Killua told him. He sat purposefully on his side of the line, across form Gon and not next to him, and reached out to grab the food from where Gon had set it._ _

__“I don’t know what that means,” Gon said childishly, like he was trying to prove Killua’s point, and then he stuck his tongue out for good measure._ _

__Killua bit straight into the fruit and watched Gon’s reaction. He reasoned that if it was poisoned, Gon might give away his guise before he realized that Killua was immune. All Gon did was watch him without moving, seemingly waiting for something._ _

__“Is it good?” Gon asked with thinly veiled excitement._ _

__It was very good, unlike anything Killua had ever tasted. “It’s alright.”_ _

__Gon smiled like he could tell Killua was lying through his teeth. “It’s made from a type of berry that grows on the island in the late summer months. It spends all summer getting ripe, but it never changes color. You just have to wait until the air feels like the chill of colder months coming to pick them, or they’re too bitter to enjoy at all.”_ _

__Killua continued to eat the fruit and listened to Gon ramble about the island. Killua wanted to be annoyed by the unprompted info dumping, but he found it nice. Gon was a good storyteller, Killua decided, and he had a voice that was easy to listen to._ _

__“And then, if you wait too long, the Foxbear cubs will eat them all in less than a week. The sailors that come to town will always ask if we have the jam, and sometimes the ladies who make it will lie to them to keep enough for the natives. Aunt Mito only gives hers to the people she likes best. I’ll share with you, though, because I think she’d like you.”_ _

__Killua all but choked on the berry he had been chewing on._ _

__“What’s your name? So I can tell her the next time I write her a letter.”_ _

__“Like I’d tell you that,” Killua said roughly._ _

__Gon cocked his head to the side. “Why not?” He asked innocently. For someone who was actively trying to steal his possession and leave him empty handed, he sure was making it difficult to treat him that way. Killua felt frustration flare in his chest._ _

__“In case you _forgot_ , we’re enemies,” he said icily. He hoped his tone would shut Gon up._ _

__“We’re not enemies,” Gon replied, blinking at him owlishly._ _

__Killua felt his eyes bug out of his head. He could have yelled in frustration. He had half a mind to take the cannister and wander around in the dark to avoid Gon’s backwards thinking._ _

__“I don’t have any reason for you to be my enemy,” Gon continued, his head cocked to the side like Killua was insane for thinking that._ _

__“I have something you’re trying to steal!” Killua really felt like he was talking to a brick wall._ _

__“So?”_ _

__Killua could tell he wasn’t going to win this fight with logic, so he huffed and turned his back to Gon. Gon continued on with his stories about Whale Island when it suited him, unbothered by Killua’s unresponsiveness. Killua let himself get lost in thought. He didn’t understand his own anger at Gon for not realizing their situation. For not realizing they weren’t met to be getting along and braiding each other’s hair. Or, rather, he was angry not at Gon for doing strange things, but for letting himself get swept along. Everything about Gon seemed like nonsense, and yet Killua was getting caught up in every stupid argument or tangent. It was maddening how easily Gon could pull him in like gravity. Maddening, and possibly dangerous. Even then, in all his brooding discontent, he found himself lending half an ear to Gon’s stories about his father. Who, for the record, sounded somewhat awful, even to Killua._ _

__Killua snorted as Gon explained the tape his father left behind for him._ _

__Gon stifled his own laugh. “I know. Can you believe I spent years trying to find him after that?”_ _

__“Years?” Killua asked before he could stop himself. “That was stupid,” he added indifferently, trying to backtrack._ _

__“Maybe,” Gon replied thoughtfully. “It just seemed important at the time. Like if I found him, everything would be worth it.”_ _

__Killua was silent. Gon sounded strangely melancholy, which struck Killua as odd. That the same boy who had been an unstoppable force of optimism and laughter when they were being chased with explosives could even sound sad was news to him._ _

__“Family, right,” Killua said, because he didn’t know what else to do. “A real pain.” Killua couldn’t tell why he wanted Gon to know that he understood. He had no words to explain the urge that bubbled up in his chest to tell him he wasn’t alone in that._ _

__Gon just laughed and started to hum a song while he cleaned up what was left of his things in his bag, the moment for Killua to say anything else passing. It was probably better that way, he decided. So instead of speaking he listened to the timbre of Gon’s voice as he sang soft words of the sea and home and other things Killua had never known._ _

__He hadn’t noticed he had started to drift off until started to fall over, jolting him awake. His first instinct was to spin around and check if Gon was still on his side of the boundary. The rustling Killua made must have woken Gon up, because he sat up from his position on the ground and rubbed his eyes sleepily._ _

__“Is everything okay?” He asked, alert all at once after taking stalk of Killua’s body language. Killua whipped his head to the side to see the cannister was still sitting next to him, untouched._ _

__“Everything’s fine,” Killua said back suspiciously. He had fallen asleep, after all, it was possible that something had happened while he wasn’t paying attention. A shudder swept over him as he came fully awake, realizing that the temperature must have dropped significantly now that it was night. Killua looked down at his ripped shirt and fought a cringe at the sight of his exposed skin. He had been through worse than sleeping cold, he could do it again._ _

__Gon watched Killua with an unreadable expression. “You’re going to get cold.”_ _

__“I don’t get cold,” he replied lamely, like a liar._ _

__Gon raised an eyebrow. “Yes you do, I saw you shiver just now.”_ _

__Well damn._ _

__“You could have my coat, if you want. You don’t even have a proper shirt.”_ _

__Gon might as well have offered Killua a five-star hotel, services included. “No,” he forced himself to say through clenched teeth._ _

__“If you take one, then I’ll have the other and we’ll both be warmer.” Gon said, like it was a perfectly normal solution to the problem at hand. Gon started to reach out, holding his green, tattered jacket in his hands. This close, Killua could see the red stiches that ran down the seams. Before Gon could stretch his way across, Killua lashed out and knocked his arm back._ _

__Hurt flashed across Gon’s face, if only for an instant. He sat there, unmoving, with his arm still holding out the cloth, like he wasn’t sure what to do with it now._ _

__“Stay on your side,” Killua warned, tone low. He laid back down with his back to Gon. He hoped that would get his point into the thick head of that green haired idiot. _Stay away_. He clutched the cannister tighter in his arms and closer to his chest, like the action would bring him peace. He wasn’t sure why his chest ached oddly at the way Gon’s face had fallen, but it did. _Stop being nice to me_ , he should have insisted. _ _

__Despite his hopes, holding the metal cannister closer to his body only made him colder. His bare arms and torso against the earth reminded him that sleep wasn’t a promise. He fought another shiver that threatened to creep its way down his spine because he could feel Gon watching him still._ _

__He almost wanted Gon to try to take the container from him. Surely it would be easier to justify his actions if Gon would just do his part and fight him for real instead of, well, whatever this was. Then Killua would have an excuse to run out into the cold night, and he wouldn’t have to blame himself for shivering because it would be the only option. Gon’s unwavering voice, offering food and clothes and smiles. Those options felt almost cruel. No one offered those things to Killua and meant it, even when he wanted it desperately._ _

__Gon stirred behind him, but Killua pretended not to notice. He quieted again, and Killua hoped he had laid back down to go to sleep again. He listened to the other boy’s breathing, but it didn’t steady out with time. Eventually, Gon shuffled again. It took everything in Killua not to turn around and see where he was going. Another pause, then more shuffling._ _

__Then, Killua felt it. The heat of another body. He was struck with the sudden urge to lean backwards into the space between them, but he didn’t dare move. He didn’t even allow himself to breath for fear that his ribcage could expand and touch Gon._ _

__More shuffling, and then Killua didn’t have to imagine the touch of the sun, because he felt it on his skin. He would have thought he was dreaming if he couldn’t feel the jut of Gon’s backbone pressing just slightly into his own. And then he couldn’t stop himself, too overwhelmed with the feeling of drinking in Gon’s contact, so he shuffled back to press himself closer. Killua’s skin must have felt like ice flush against him, and yet Gon didn’t pull away. Killua let out a content sigh and told himself it was quiet enough Gon wouldn’t hear._ _

__The raging storm in Killua’s mind started to calm, his thoughts from earlier slipping below the surface until he forgot what he had even feared. And then sleep didn’t feel so far away anymore. Despite everything, Gon next to him made him comfortable in a way he couldn’t place. Back-to-back, Killua felt like he could face anything, even his own mind that often kept him from sleep._ _

__Maybe Gon had been right. In that moment, Killua didn’t feel like Gon’s enemy. He felt sure that it was the two of them versus whatever the night might bring. And in the moment where he could feel his mind drifting off into a dream, he could admit it to himself: he liked having someone to watch his back, and maybe Gon did too._ _

__

__Killua opened his eyes slowly. It took him a moment to remember where he was, but the cold ground beneath him reminded him quick enough. He blinked the sleep out of his eyes, but from what he could tell it was still only the early hours on the morning._ _

__As Killua’s eyes focused, he realized that Gon was no longer lying next to him, but instead sitting with his back to the tree. He was turned slightly away from Killua, so it was almost impossible to see his face. Killua could see, however, that in Gon’s lap sat the silver cannister._ _

___Kill him_ , his brain supplied immediately. And yet he stayed there, feigning sleep and watching Gon. He cursed himself for not sensing the movement. Even after the events of the day before, Killua had been certain he would wake up if Gon touched the container. He wasn’t a heavy sleeper, even when he was at home and not in the middle of a rainforest. _ _

__And still, Gon had the container. He ignored the voice in his head telling him to keep the promise he made to himself against his better judgement. For all the commotion about getting back to his friend, Gon hadn’t left yet. He was simply sitting there, staring at the container in both his hands. He didn’t look like he was going to make a break for it, which gave Killua pause. All of his training told him that it didn’t matter; _just do the job_. But instead, he watched. After what felt like hours but was probably no more than a matter of minutes, Gon moved to get up. Killua shut his eyes again, not wanting to alert Gon that he was awake. _ _

__He heard the other boy shuffle back closer to him. He felt something cold touch his skin, and he knew Gon must be right in front of him. He wasn’t sure until he felt the air move near his forehead as Gon’s breath fanned over his hair. Killua forced his breathing to stay even and calmed his erratic heartbeat. His whole body felt on edge with adrenaline at Gon’s proximity to his face, but he was in too deep to let on that he was awake._ _

__Then, Killua felt warm skin against his own. So softly that he wasn’t even sure it happened, Killua felt the Gon’s calloused hand push his hair out of his sleeping face. The contact was only there for a second, then it was gone. Killua felt Gon settle back down on the ground and heard him as he scooted closer to Killua again until their backs touched. Once Killua was sure Gon wouldn’t see, he opened his eyes. Next to his folded arms was the cannister, right where he had left it. Gon hadn’t taken it._ _

___Why?_ _ _

__Killua didn’t fall back asleep. He could tell that Gon did by the way he starts to snore after some time. He couldn’t be sure how long passed before light started to creep in through the canopy, the only indication that the time changed at all. Killua noticed that the rain had stopped at some point, though he wasn’t sure when. It was utterly quiet inside the leaves when Gon stirred awake again._ _

__Killua waited while Gon started to move around again, but after a few minutes he couldn’t hear him anymore. Killua finally sat up and stretched out his muscles. The ground wasn’t the worst place he had ever slept, but it wasn’t the most comfortable either. He inspected his side and waited for Gon to reappear. To his surprise, the angry redness from the day before had subsided a great deal. He looked around, absentmindedly thinking about how far off Gon had gone. His bag was still sitting by the tree trunk, so he obviously hadn’t planned to leave. Killua stood up, grabbed the cannister, and walked to the edge of the canopy. He poked his head out from the leaves and looked from side to side._ _

__He saw Gon squatting off a ways from the tree in a small area that wasn’t covered in brush. He was bent over what looked to be the start of a small fire. Killua walked over and bent over Gon’s back to get a look at the smoking mess. What idiot would try to start a fire with only wet materials? Gon just continued to fan the embers until a small flame licked to life._ _

__“My name’s Killua.” Killua stated without preamble._ _

__Gon spun around wildly to face him, teetering in his crouching position until he fell straight backwards onto the wet ground._ _

__“Killua!” He said immediately, too loud and too excited._ _

__Killua balked. “What the hell happened to your _hair?_ ” With Gon turned to face him fully, Killua could see it was sticking straight up in a gravity defying manner. _ _

__Gon reached his head up to his head. “Oh!” He laughed. “It always dries like this!”_ _

__“Weird,” Killua grumbled, kicking a rock with his foot._ _

__“It’s not weird, Kil-lu-a!” Gon stuck his tongue out to prove his point and then turned back to the fire, which was still only a pathetic flicker._ _

__“Killua told me his name!”_ _

__“It’s not a big deal or anything.” Killua mussed, turning to the side to avoid Gon seeing the flush on his cheeks. It was a big deal to Killua._ _

__Gon stopped his happy humming abruptly without turning around. “I thought about stealing the cannister.”_ _

__“I know.”_ _

__“Kurapika is my friend and those belong to him. But you’re also my friend.”_ _

__“ _Huh?_ ”_ _

__Gon continued on, “I thought about it, but wasn’t sure what to do. So I guess I just didn’t do anything!”_ _

__Killua made a sound in the back of his throat, staring at Gon’s back. He tried to remember the last time someone called him his friend. “We are _not_ friends, Gon,” Killua managed to choke out. _ _

__Gon turned to him then. “Yes we are,” he told him simply. His face was set in determination, his resolve unwavering. Gon looked at him like the most important thing in the world to him to be friends with Killua. Even with the cold morning air not having time to warm and thaw the chill from the night, Killua’s chest grew pleasantly hot. He didn’t know what to make of that._ _

__“Are _not_!” Killua insisted, shoving Gon hard enough to send him sprawling. Gon blinked in surprise, then left up at Killua while laughing. He managed to grab Killua by the waist before he could turn away, sending both of them catapulting backwards and the cannister flying in another direction. Killua made a strangled sound and grabbed his side. Gon hadn’t hit it, but it still didn’t feel great on the way down. _ _

__“Oh no,” Gon stopped laughing and scrambled away from him. “I forgot!”_ _

__Killua glared at Gon. Truthfully, he hadn’t hurt him. He was more worried Gon would start his antics again than anything. There was a lot he could handle, but there was only so much teasing he knew what to do with. Being called friends and playing silly games? Killua cursed himself and got to his feet to grab the container._ _

__“So this belongs to Kurapika?” He asked, turning it over in his hands._ _

__Gon nodded. “What do you want with them?”_ _

__Killua noticed he referred them as plural again. “What does Kurapika want with it?” Killua challenged._ _

__“Do you know what they are?”_ _

__Killua considered if he should lie or tell the truth. He was curious, of course, but he also didn’t want to admit he didn’t have information that might be important._ _

__“Yes,” Killua tried. “And I thought you said they belonged to the Ants.”_ _

__Gon scratched his head. “The Ants had them, but they doesn’t mean they belonged to them! They just didn’t want to lose them. Obviously the Ants don’t have Kurta clan eyes.”_ _

__Killua’s eyes widened before he could stop them. His mind started to whirl with the facts in front of him. “Kurapika is a member of the Kurta clan?”_ _

__Gon hesitated. “I trust you, Killua, but I don’t think I can tell you everything about Kurapika.”_ _

___I trust you_. _ _

__Killua scowled and crossed his arms in front of his chest. “Have it your way.” He didn’t point out that Gon really had no reason to trust him at all. Killua crouched down next to Gon to lean over the smoke, poking the leaves back into the center._ _

__“If you tell me why you’re after it, we can figure out what to do.” Gon said, gesturing to the cannister._ _

__Killua thought of all the jobs he’d done in the past for no reason other than because his family forced him to. “I just do the job,” Killua said darkly._ _

__“Oh. Well that’s dumb,” Gon said simply next to him._ _

__The comment was so unexpected that it made Killua laugh. He couldn’t help himself; that was probably the last thing he thought he would hear._ _

__“If there’s not a reason, just come with me and Kurapika.” Gon said. That only made Killua laugh harder, spurring him to grab his stomach to keep from shaking._ _

__“You’re so strange, Gon.” Killua said between giggles._ _

__“Killua has a nice laugh. That’s the first time you’ve laughed this whole time!”_ _

__That caused the laughter to die is his throat. He rearranged his face into an annoyed glare at Gon. “I can’t just double cross Chrollo. I don’t have a death wish.”_ _

__“You’re helping the _Troupe?_ ” Gon yelled in surprise. “They’re the ones who- who-” Gon frowned. Killua surmised this was one of the things he wasn’t going to tell him about Kurapika, but at this point Killua was all but sure Kurapika was a member of the Kurta clan. He had heard the rumors about the Troupe taking out the last of the Kurta. _ _

__“I told you, I’m doing a job.” Killua rolled his eyes._ _

__Gon sighed in frustration. “You can’t give those to Chrollo.”_ _

__Killua stopped and turned the idea over in his head. It never really occurred to him that he could give the cannister to Gon and walk out of the forest. He couldn’t even fathom why he would want to do that; by his analysis, he would gain nothing from that exchange. Still, he didn’t say no. Gon watched him with that determined look again._ _

__“What do I get if I give it to you, huh?” Killua said. “You gonna help me fight Chrollo and the Troupe when they come for that?”_ _

__Gon didn’t say anything right away. “If I steal that from you,” he said, nodding his head at the cannister again, “then there’s nothing Chrollo can do about it.”_ _

__“It’s not that simple, Gon,” Killua said tiredly. He wasn’t even sure what made him entertain the idea in the first place._ _

__“Chrollo knows that Kurapika is after the eyes, right?” Gon paused and Killua nodded. “And you look like you were in a fight.” Gon poined to Killua’s side again for good measure. “So just tell Chrollo you lost them and then come back to Kurapika with me!”_ _

__Killua’s eyes went wide, mostly because the thought of going with Gon made his chest warm up again. “Why would I do that?” He asked aloud, mostly to himself. Why did the idea hold so much allure?_ _

__Gon smiled at him. “You’re really great, Killua,” Gon said. “I think it would be fun to find Kurapika together.”_ _

__Gon said the words to Killua like he hadn’t just shattered Killua’s world. Like it was easy to say things like that and mean them. Killua could ducked his head to avoid letting Gon see whatever expression he was making._ _

__Gon made humming sound, like he was thinking. “What do you want to do?”_ _

__Killua stopped, and his head shot back up. Gon just sat there, the question in his expression, waiting for Killua to speak._ _

__“I don’t know what these eyes mean to you and Kurapika. But I don’t…” _Care_. That’s what he should say. That he doesn’t care, he’s taking the eyes and that’s the end of it, because he and Gon could never be friends. But as he sat there with Gon’s intense eyes focused solely on him, hanging on every word Killua said, meaning every word about caring what _Killua_ wanted, he realized things he didn’t want. _ _

__He didn’t want to lie to Gon. The words were already dying in his throat; he wasn’t sure he could spew a lie about not caring about Gon or Kurapika even if he did want to. He didn’t want Gon to trek far and wide to find Kurapika, loyal to a fault, only to know the whole time that in the end he would have to tell him that he failed. All because he trusted an assassin with hair like snow and a heart just as cold. What he didn’t want was for Gon to regret laughing at him, or playing stupid games with him, or sharing his strange dried fruit with him. He didn’t want Gon to regret knowing his name._ _

__“I want to believe you,” Killua whispered after a beat. He spoke so softly that he was afraid the words would be carried away in the breeze, mostly because he wouldn’t be able to say them again._ _

__Then Killua could feel Gon’s arms pulling on him, tugging him until his head thumped right into Gon’s chest. Killua was too stunned to do anything other than hold himself completely still in Gon’s arms, but it didn’t deter Gon from hugging him tighter. Something warm started to prick behind Killua’s eyes at the overwhelming sensation of the heat of Gon’s skin pressed against his. Then, like flipping a switch, Killua melted into Gon and held him back. _I meant it_ , the embrace seemed to say. _I meant that we were friends_. _ _

__When Gon pulled away, Killua had to force himself not to chase after him. He could hug Gon forever, maybe, and it wouldn’t be long enough. His eyes fluttered open. “What was that for, idiot,” Killua stuttered, desperately trying to recompose himself._ _

__Gon smiled at him, though there was something sad in his eyes. “You shouldn’t have to question if someone wants to be your friend, Killua.”_ _

__Killua wasn’t sure what to say to that. He just blinked back at Gon, the gears in his brain turning slowly. The morning sun was streaming between the tree coverage hitting Gon’s face just so, reminding Killua of how his eyes change in the light. Crouching in the sunlight, looking so much like he belongs among the trees, Gon looked like something Killua could have dreamed. Maybe he had been lost on the forest for much longer than two days and he’d imagined all of this. Surely it would be easier to believe than the person in front of him calling his name like it tasted sweet on his tongue. He wanted to reach out and touch Gon’s impossible, upright hair to reassure himself that all of this is real._ _

__He didn’t realize his hand was actually moving until it was in his line of vision, right there next to Gon’s face. Gon just looked back into Killua’s eyes, his face unreadable. Killua paused right before touching Gon, sure that if he did, the illusion would break. Gon, without saying a word, let his head fall to the side and into Killua’s open palm. Killua let out a small gasp in amazement._ _

__“How can you trust me so easily?” Killua heard himself ask. It didn’t feel like him, letting his tongue run so loose like that._ _

__“It just feels right, doesn’t it? Like we should stay together.”_ _

__Then he let out a hiss, remembering himself, and yanked his hand away. “Don’t say dumb stuff like that.” He couldn’t stop the blush that crept onto his cheeks, or the voice in his head that whispered, _you don’t think it’s dumb_. _ _

__“If I went with you,” Killua started slowly, “there’s something I would need to do.”_ _

__Gon broke out into a smile, jumping to his feet in barely contained excitement. “That means you’ll help me find Kurapika?”_ _

__“Hold on,” Killua said quickly. “I would need to bring my sister.”_ _

__“You have a sister?” Gon asked, curiosity wrought in his voice. “What’s she like? Is she younger than you? Where is she, let’s go get her!”_ _

__“Wait, you’re okay with that?”_ _

__“Sure, why not?” Gon said excitedly. “What’s her name?”_ _

__It was entirely possible that it really was just that simple to Gon. To Killua, who was used to taking what he was given and not asking for more, it seemed too good to be true. All of it. His head was dizzy with the affection he was receiving, undoubtably making him agree to something he probably wouldn’t have otherwise. Travelling with a near stranger? Letting them meet Alluka and Something? These were all things that Killua would not have even considered doing before meeting Gon. Yet his heart was tugging at the images his mind conjured of them all eating together, on the train together, looking something up in the library together. Gon and Alluka were both too kind for their own good; Killua could tell they would get along great. He wanted so badly for it to be his life, traveling with his sister and a friend and a purpose, for heaven’s sake._ _

__“Her name is Alluka.”_ _

__Once Killua said it, he knew there was no going back. The most precious thing he could give Gon was any piece of information he clung to about his sister. It made it easier to trust Gon, somehow, to tell him stories about the only person in the world who loved him for nothing other than being alive. Killua basked in every question Gon asked about Alluka as they packed up to leave and find their way out of the forest. Killua felt drunk on every moment that Gon threw back his head and laughed at something particularly funny Alluka had said, or at how he looked amazed by hearing what a fantastic student she was, or how he would say ‘oh, that’s just like you, Killua!’. He hadn’t even realized how much he wanted to talk about his sister until Gon asked. Even after they had been walking for some time, Gon seemed content to hear more, listening attentively._ _

__At some point the conversation switched to planning. Gon suggested something completely haphazard and dangerous, and Killua flicked him on the forehead and suggested something else. They went back and forth that way until they pieced together something like a plan._ _

__They were so deep in their conversation that they didn’t even notice when the forest started to thin. At some point, Killua took the lead without missing a beat, recognizing some of the area from yesterday._ _

__“Well, we can start in Yorknew, that’s a place Kurapika knows-” Gon was saying, before they realized. Up ahead, the trees reluctantly gave way to more than a run-down pathway. They could see a clearing, along with what looked like a road. Sat there off to the side was a car Killua recognized immediately. Killua glanced over at Gon, who was holding the cannister in his backpack._ _

__“We’re going to have some explaining to do to the old man waiting in that car.”_ _

__Gon laughed. “No problem!” He said, like it wasn’t the most bizarre thing in the world to walk out of the forest and declare you’re changing the whole plan and betraying the most powerful person alive because you befriended a green haired fool. Maybe that made Killua the real idiot, not Gon. Despite everything, he smiled back at Gon, and he laughed too._ _

__Yeah, for a friend, he would just have to take the chance._ _

**Author's Note:**

> Me: headcanons that Gon and Killua sleep back to back 
> 
> Also me: now I must write some nonsensical killagon fluff to make it reality 
> 
> :) Thanks for reading!


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